Automatic gas cut-off.



H. NIEMANN.

AUTOMATIC GAS GUT-0H.

APPLIUATIOH 11.21) In. 2a, 1908.

899,184. I Patanted Sept. 22,1908.

UEITE STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

HENRY NIEMANN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF.

T 0 all 11:7201'12- it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIENRY NIEMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn and Stateof New :York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Gas CutOll's, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to a gas fixture appliance or attachment, the 111'ose of which is to automatically cut oil' t to l ow of gas from a burnerof the type which has a constantly burning pilot light, in case theilame of such pilot light is accidentally blown out or e.- tinguishcd.It is evident that unless the gas is cut oil under these circumstances,it will continue to flow and escape, and constitute a very seriousmenace to life and property. This danger has been so great as toconsiderably limit the field of use of automatic gas lighters of thetype having a. constantly burning flame.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a princi le which I believeto be absolutely nove in this class of apparatus, and which depends uponthe contraction of certain easily fusible substances at the point ortemperature where such substances congeal or solidify. Bees wax,paraffin and sulfur may be mentioned as exam les of substances of thisclass, and which I S 12111 term broadly as congealing contractilesubstances. The essential characteristics of the substance used are thatit becomes melted or fluid at a comparatively low temperature, say,between 30 or 40 C. and 200 C., with a considerable expansion in volume,and con eals with a correspondin contraction in V0 ume when cooled. Imahe use of this substance in an apparatus having specialcharacteristics and forming part of my present invention, as hereinafterdescribed.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinationas particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being madeto the accompanying drawings and description in which a preferredembodiment of the invention is set forth.

In the drawings, F ure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertic section,of an automatic gas cut-0H device embodying the rinci les of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a retail p view of one of the parts. Fig. 3 is aperspective view showing another part. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view ofthe float.

Specification of Letters latent.

Application filed March 26, 1908.

Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

Serial No. 423,332.

1 indicates broadly an automatic gas lighting device of ordinary typehaving a pilot burner 2, through which gas is designed to continuouslyflow without interru )tion, and which is always lighted so as to lignition means for the main flame at the burne1'3. which is controlledby the usual cock 4.-

5 designates the device or appliance con stituting my present invention,which has a threaded nipple 6 and threaded socket 7 of the standardcharacter adapted for interchangeable use with all gas fixtures. Thedevice :3 includes a main tubular portion 8 on which is supported a cupor casing 9 having a cover 10, of which the nipple 6 forms a part. Theconstruction may be of any desired character, but I prefer thearrangement shown, in which the casing 9 is of circular or cylindricaloutline, and having the cover 10 screw threaded thereto at its upperedge 11. lVit-hin the casing 9, there is contained the congealingcontractile substance 12, which, as above stated, may be bees wax,paraflin, sulfur, or other material having similar or analogouscharacteristics. The outside surface of the tube 8 is made straight andcylindrical, and is screw threaded at its upper end 13.

14 designates a plate or frame with a central threaded hole 15 adaptedto engage the threaded end 13 of the tube 8. This plate has a pair ofholes or o enings 16, which I have shown diametrica l T opposite to oneanother, and which serve to guide certain valve devices or parts. Theupper end of the tube 8 has a valve seat 18.

19 designates a valve cooperating with the seat 18. This valve may besupported by a wire or similar frame 20 of inverted U-shape, havingdownwardly ext-ending arms 21, which pass through the holes 16, alreadyreferred to.

22 designates a float supported by the congealing contractile substance12, and movable vertically around the tube 8. In the practicalconstruction shown, I make use of a thin circular plate 23, which isguided quite closely in the cavity of the casing 9, and to urnish anwhich the arms 21 are attached. The float 22 may be of cork or any otherbuoyant substance, and is attached to the plate 23 by pins 24, or othersuitable fastenings.

2; designates brushes, which I make of asbestos fiber clamped and heldbetween the plate 23 and the float 22, and which pro'ect radiallyoutward at points around the oat to brush lightly against the walls ofthe containing cup or casing 9 so as to give a certain frictionalimpedance to its vertical movement and to prevent its lateral movement.

26 designates adjusting screws received in the frame or plate 14, andwhich project downward so as to limit the upward movement of the float.A sufficient quantity of the congealing contractile substance 12 issupplied to raise the float 22 and the valve 19 to their upward limitsof movement determined by the screws 26, when the said substance isliquefied. In practice, I prefer to have the level of the substance 12actually cover the float and slightly overlie the surface of the plate23, so that the lifting and lowering action is made more positive. Theexact point of the level may, however, be varied, and in the drawings, Ihave shown it as not entirely covering the float so that the showing ofthe various parts may not be obscured. v

In use, the substance 12 is kept liquefied I by the heat which isconducted downward from the continuously burning pilot burner 2. Thisburner,'as stated, is designed to be constantly kept lighted, so thatthe entire apparatus remains in a state of warmth suffieient to maintainthe substance 12 in a melted condition. When the substance 12 congeals,its very ronounced contraction causes the float to rop and the valve 19is brought down upon the valve seat 18, so as to entirely out ofl' theflow of gas. It is to be noted that liquel'ying and congealingsubstances like those mentioned become pasty and viscous while coolingand contracting.

This viscosity causes the float to be sucked or pulled down with a forcewhich is considerably greater than its mere weight. Accordingly, thevalve is forced against its seat 18 with a very considerable pressurewhich absolutely insures the cut-off of the gas. This action takesplace, of course, whenever the apparatus cools off as a result of thepilot flame being blown out or otherwise extinguished.

The brushes 25 exert a function to prevent accidental closure of thevalve against its seat by vibration or other extraneous influences,which otherwise might cause a slight movement of the arts with acorresponding fluctuation in t e flow of gas. The frictional imfpledanceproduced by the brushes 25 is su cient to overcome any such tendency. Itis im ortant, in practice, to make all of the movablii parts very lightin construction, and with this end in view, I make the valve 19 in theform of a hollow shell with an upper flat face 27, which is secured tothe wire 20, and a lower rounded face 28 which engages the valve seat18. In like manner, the wire frame 20 and the plate 23 are of as lightand delicate a construction as is consistent with strength. In this way,the action of the device is extremely sensitive, and there ispractically no liability of derangement from the vibration of the partsduring transportation or shipment, or under any circumstances in use.

hat I claim, is

1. In an automatic gas cut-off appliance adapted for use with a burner,a receptacle containing a congealing contractile substance normallymaintained in molten condition by the heat from the burner, saidsubstance melting at a temperature between 30 or 40 C. and 200 (3., anda normally open valve closed by the contraction of such substance.

2. In combination with a burner having a constantly-ignited pilot flame,an automatic gas cut-ofl' appliance having a congealing contractilesubstance, and means operated by the contraction of such substance forcutting off the gas from said burner.

23. In an automatic gas cut-oil" appliance, a receptacle containing acongealing contractile substance melting at a temperature between 30 or40 C. and 200 (3., a float supported thereby, and a valve connected tosaid float and operating to cut off the flow of gas when said substancecontracts.

4. In combination with a valve, a receptacle containing a congealingcontractile substance melting at a temperature between 30 or 40 C., and200 C., a float supported on said substance, and a connection from saidfloat to said valve.

5. In combination with a valve, stops for limiting the opening movementof the valve, a receptacle containing a congealing contractile substancemelting at a temperature between 30 or 40 C. and 200 C., means displacedby the contraction thereof, and a connection between said means and saidvalve.

6. In combination with a valve, a receptacle containing a congealingcontractile substance meltin at a temperature between 30 or 40 C. an 200C., means displaced by the contraction thereof, a connection betweensaid means and said valve, and means for preventing the closure of saidvalve by vibration from extraneous influences.

7. In an automatic gas cut-off appliance, a

cup or casing containing a congealing contractile substance melting at atemperature between 30 or 40 C. and 200 C., a float supported thereby, atube having a valve seat, and a valve cooperating with said seat anddisplaced by said float, said substance contracting when it solidifiesto hold the valve closed.

8. In an automatic gas cut-off appliance, a cup or casing containing acongca ing contractile substance melting at a temperature between 30 or40 C. and 200 C., a tube extending into said casing and having a valveseat, a hollow valve having an inverted U- shaped frame, and a floatconnected to said frame and supported by said substance, said substancecontracting when it solidifies to hold the valve closed.

9. In an automatic gas eut-ofi' appliance, a

ing contractile substance melting at a temperature between 30 or 40 C.and 200 (3., a. tube axially prqectmg therein, a float guided aroundsaid tube 21rd having a longitudinal movement in the casing, and a valveclosing over the end of said tube and connected to said float; saidsubstance contracting when it solidifies to hold the valve closed.

10. In an automatic gas cutoll appliance. a cup or casing adaptedtocontain a congealing contractile substance melting at a temperaturebetween 30 or 40 C. and 200 C., a tube axially PIOJGCtlDg therein, afloat guided around said tube and having a longitudinel movement in thecasing, a valve closcup or casing adapted to contain a congealing overthe end of said tube and connected to said float, and stops for limitingthe movement of the valve 011 its seat, said substance contracting whenit solidifies to hold the valve Closed.

In itness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

I HENRY NIEMANN. 'itnesses:

ALFRED ,V. PROCTOR, WALno M. CHAIXN.

